"Nov 26 - Its so long since I've written in this I can't possibly go back over all that's happened. John Jr is six weeks old today and is very good. He's had his fussy days and his spells of spitting up & screaming but seems to be straightening out now. He started smiling at us Nov 19 and has been able to see for the last couple of days and has been very quiet & contented looking around for himself. He slept all day today - so much in fact we were getting worried. Mary Ellen is still my darling & has also been very good. Talks a lot and gives her baby (which she calls Jay Jay) a bottle & burps him when I'm feeding John Jr. Plays with her doll carriage and babies almost all day. Hannie & Norman were baby sitters last night & let John & I go to the show. Seemed so funny to be out together alone. Babies were good while we were gone.
Nov 27 - Madeline & Gin came down tonight to see John Jr - rushed around like mad trying to get both babies asleep before they came. At quarter of eight both were screaming but fortunately all was quiet & peaceful when they arrived & neither woke up while they were here.
It was awful cold today but around three oclock I bundled Mary Ellen up & dashed down to Stop & Shop. She ran all around the store - half the time I couldn't even see her & then she comes trotting out from behind somewhere all grins. John Jr was good today but woke up more often for feedings. Mary Ellen pulled the clean scatter rugs all over her room today & I had to get down on the floor & lay on one while she did likewise on the other. Also she was playing on the floor & the buttons on the straps of her overalls opened & when she stood up the overalls fell down around her ankles. The look of surprise on her face was really funny.
Nov 28. Had a comparatively good day today - took Mary Ellen out in the morning with her doll carriage when I was hanging out the diapers and again in the afternoon. We dashed down to the Stop & Shop and left the two Johns sleeping. When she's wrapped up in the blanket in the stroller she slumps down and leans back and looks as tho she's all set for a snooze. John Jr was good - smiling & kicking away for himself. He was fussy for a while after supper but John got him to sleep about 8:30 & he slept till 3:45."
"Nov 29 - What a day. Everything was confusion & bedlam all day. John Jr didn't sleep hardly at all today & was like a bear from about six to nine. Mary Ellen was in bed at 7:30 & cried & fussed like mad till 9:30. She was trying to put her doll's bottle into the bottle holder & screamed when she couldn't do it the way she wanted to. Every time I went in she waved me out into the kitchen, refused a bottle & generally acted like a brat. Naturally John went to work early & between the two of them I almost went mad. Peace & quiet descended about 9:30. What a relief! I took the two of them out this afternoon & went as far as the Post Office & to the Stop & Shop. John Jr cried & fussed & when I was in the Stop & Shop I could see the carriage shaking so I knew he was crying & kicking. I sat him up when I came out & he gave a big burp & finally went to sleep. Ma & Rita were watching out the window when we were coming home & Rita said they saw me coming up & at the same time Mary Ellen going down. She did pretty good tho - she has trouble going up & down the curbs - sometimes falls in the effort. Some woman in front of the Post Office said 'I see the little girl got pushed out of the carriage,' thought she was very cute also said I had a 'good looking baby'. John Jr seems to notice his hands now waving around in his long sleeved nightgown. He also gives me big wide grins for no apparent reason. He woke up a few minutes ago, fussed & fumed around for a while & went back to sleep. Today is Dickie's birthday - Rita baked a cake for him & gave me a piece. Vey good. Hannie took Chris to see Santa Claus. Ma went down to St Pats Hall tonight to see 'Song of Bernadette' shown by sodality."
"Nov 30 - Mary Ellen had her picture taken today by a photographer who came to the house. She cried & Stuck four fingers in her mouth the minute she saw him. Finally smiled & said 'Wow Wow' to his jacket which had a fur collar. She loves her own wow wow jacket. Hope the pictures come out good. Going to keep it a secret. Ma took care of John Jr today while Mary Ellen & I went down the street. He slept up on the table & when Jim came to lunch he had to eat off the sink. Mary Ellen & I went to the bank where all the girls admired her & came out to say hello. We also went to the Stop & Shop where she ate the grapes out of the basket & told me to 'ope' them (meaning to take the stem out.)
John Jr was very bad this afternoon. Daddy had to get up at 4:30 and gave him a bottle. I guess he couldn't stand the screaming any longer. However both were asleep tonight by eight and we had a very peaceful evening. Mary Ellen asks for 'cook cooks' now - meaning cookies. Hannie wants to call John Jr 'Jay.' We've got to start calling him something soon. He's getting fatter every day and more active - smiles a lot.
Dec 1 - Daddy went to the B.C. - Holy Cross Football Game today. John Jr was fussy and crying from early afternoon till late at night. Bad boy today. I even brought the carriage into the bedroom & tried rocking him - all to no avail. Almost went mad. Mary Ellen woke up at 12:45 A.M. (Sunday morning) calling 'Mummy dirty.' When I went in she had thrown up all over the bed and herself. Changed her pajamas & rocked & held her for two hours. She had dry heaves & cold sweats & everything. Still don't know what was wrong.
Dec 2 - Frances & Mae came to see the baby. Mary Ellen very pale & quiet all day. Hannie & Norman gave gave Mae & Frances a ride home in our car, took Mary Ellen with them & she threw up all over herself & Hannie just as they got back into the yard. When I ever saw the two of them all covered with throw up I almost died. Called Dr Barron, he said to dilute her milk.
Dec 4 - Mummy sick today. Boy did I feel miserable, went to bed when John got up, took three aspirins & sweated it out. Felt better around ten.
Dec 6. Daddy sick today. Didn't get up for supper, slept till ten. We've all had a spell of it now.
Dec 9 - Spent a very quiet Sunday. Mary Ellen & John Jr slept all afternoon. It seemed too peaceful to be true, even had a chance to read the papers.
Dec 10. Cold & snow today, didn't take the babies out at all. Dashed down the street myself this afternoon, left Daddy babysitting. John Jr fussed & fumed from three oclock till eleven tonight. He's been so good now for over a week I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Mary Ellen seems to be having trouble with her teeth but has been pretty good except for not wanting to eat. All she wants is 'cook cooks' & 'cream' (cookies & ice cream.) Peggie dropped in for a while tonight on her way from the library."
I think this is the picture a photographer took at home - I wonder if it is the plaid dress that Hannie bought?
"Dec 11 - Mary Ellen has another cold, there seems to be no let up in sickness & colds for us this winter. She seemed to feel okay except for a runny nose & sneezing but she's been very restless tonight. I can hear her tossing around now. Hope she has a good nights sleep. I think she got the cold being uncovered last night. She bounces around all night long in the crib. John Jr was very good today - fussed for a little while around supper but I gave him a bottle in bottle holder& he went to sleep. Only slept about an hour but at least we ate supper in peace. He didn't wake up till 7:15 this morning which was the best yet.
Dec 10. I went Christmas shopping to Waltham after supper & left John baby sitting. I guess he didn't have too much trouble with them as he had no complaints. This was the first night he had to put the two of them to bed by himself. Mary Ellen pulled the radio off the kitchen table tonight & broke it into about six pieces. Surprisingly enough it still goes.
Dec 14 - Cold today - I ran down to the Stop & Shop after lunch & left John & the two babies sleeping - I had my fingers crossed the whole time I was gone but when I got back all were sleeping soundly. John Jr got afraid of Ma today in her hat & coat - cried real tears. He's getting bigger & fatter every day. Mary Ellen calls him 'Jay Jay' and pokes her finger at him saying 'eyes, nose, mouth, bow wow (hair).' Snowing hard tonight! Mary Ellen saw her first snow (that she noticed) one day this week - she looks out the window and says 'snow' - also looks out front room window to see 'moon.'
"Dec 16. Dressed Mary Ellen & John Jr this afternoon & went upstairs visiting. John Jr looked very big in the suit Rita gave him. I caught Mary Ellen scraping out his dish of applesauce which I left on the table. She's always grabbing his bottle & draining them too.
Dec 17 Mary Ellen opened my bureau drawer tonight & found the 'babies' Santa Claus was supposed to bring. Also the wallet I had for John, she took it out of the box & held it up to me saying 'ta ta' and there was John large as life. Imagine her finding things this Xmas. Hannie & I went in town today - Daddy was babysitter - babies were good. I almost got killed in the rush coming home. I got wedged in the street car with my bundles which started slipping & I couldn't raise my arms to lift them up."
"Dec 19 John Jr was awake all afternoon watching the picture of Santa Claus that's on the wall over the bathinette - he was all excited - kicking, waving his arms & laughing. As a result he slept good tonight which was a relief as he's been fussy every night lately for two or three (or four) hours after supper. The house was so peaceful it was unbelievable. John bought the Xmas tree tonight. Mary Ellen was amazed. "
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